Busy week

It has been a very busy and challenging few weeks here at S&L Acres. Much of our time has recently been spent addressing a couple of complaints and concerns brought forward by one individual through Fraser Health and the BC Farm Industry Review Board. While this has been a difficult period for our small farming operation, we remain committed to our farm, our customers, our community, and to working through the proper channels as we continue with our Development Variance Permit (DVP) process.

One of the complaints involved our value-added canning products, which are prepared at home and sold at the Deroche Temporary Market and from our farm stand. I am very pleased to share that our products and canning practices passed the Fraser Health review with flying colours.

It was understandably frustrating to have Lee’s canning practices questioned. She works incredibly hard, both at her primary job and here on the farm, and takes great pride in preparing our products safely and carefully. Farming and food production are things we take very seriously, and we remain committed to meeting all applicable requirements and operating responsibly.

We have also had to address concerns regarding our farm cart and, most recently, the placement of dry grass clippings beneath our cedar trees as part of our farm practices. The cumulative effect of these repeated complaints has taken considerable time and energy away from what we are here to do—farm, care for our land and livestock, produce quality products, and serve our customers.

But we are not giving up.

S&L Acres has been operating for eight years. In that time, we have built a strong customer base, developed our value-added products, and become an active part of our local community. Farming is not a hobby for us. It is our business, our livelihood, our way of life, and the future we are working toward as we move away from our regular 9-5 jobs in the upcoming years, making farming our way of life into our retirement.

Despite the challenges, our farm continues to move forward. Sales have increased, our products have successfully passed Fraser Health’s review, and our customers continue to support us. That support has strengthened our determination to keep going.

We remain committed to completing our DVP process and continuing our application for inclusion in the Agricultural Land Reserve. We believe small farms have an important role in our communities and should have the opportunity to operate responsibly, follow the rules, and contribute positively without being unnecessarily burdened by repeated complaints.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for the opportunity to continue doing what we have worked so hard to build.

The past few weeks have tested us, but they have not changed our commitment to S&L Acres. If anything, they have made it stronger.

We will continue to farm, care for our land and livestock, produce and sell our products, serve our customers, and contribute to our community. We will continue to work through the proper processes with integrity, determination, and pride in what we have built.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and continued support as we work through the DVP process. We remain hopeful for a positive update from Planning regarding the proposed relocation of our livestock enclosure and, importantly, our Agricultural Land Reserve application.

We sincerely appreciate the continued support of our customers, neighbours, and community. We are proud of S&L Acres, proud of the work we do, and determined to keep moving forward.

If you would like to support S&L Acres, one of the most meaningful ways you can do so is by supporting our farm directly.

Come visit us at one of the remaining three Deroche markets, where you can shop our farm products and value-added goods, or reach out to us directly through our FB page  at https://www.facebook.com/SandLacres

Every purchase, every visit, every kind word, and every person who continues to stand behind our farm makes a difference. Your support allows us to keep doing what we love, continue building our farm, and remain a part of this community.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has signed our petition, supported our farm, and stood beside us during this process. Thank you for believing in S&L Acres and helping us keep moving forward.Sincerely,

S&L Acres